Happiness at last
by Ithilya
Summary: When the Bishop's carriage arrives in Britain, who are the three women travelling with them? And how will they affect the lives of the knights? My first ever fanfic so please Read and Review! Rated T just incase. KnightsOCs. I only own the OC's...sadly
1. Reunions

Happiness at Last

Chapter 1. Reunions.

Tristan – 20 when taken – 35 now Ariana - 17 when Dagonet was taken – 32 now

Galahad – 13 when taken – 28 now Freya – 12 when Galahad was taken – 27 now

Gawain – 15 when taken – 30 now Sarina – 10 when Lancelot was taken – 25 now

Lancelot – 16 when taken – 31 now

Dagonet – 23 when taken – 38 now

Bors – 23 when taken – 38 now

Arthur – 16 when he became commander – 31 now

"As promised the Bishop's carriage" Said Gawain as he and his fellow knights rode to the top of the hill. Sure enough as they looked below them there was the roman carriage surrounded by thirty or so heavily armed guards. What was quite unusual however is that another slightly smaller carriage was following, this one was guarded by nobody, it had three horses tied to the back and looked slightly weighed down. 'Supplies' was the thought that ran through everybody's mind.

"Your passage back to Rome Arthur" said Galahad the youngest of the knights. Arthur merely smiled at the thought of returning and being re-united with Pelagius, his friend and mentor. Their smiles were short lived however as an arrow was shot out of the forest and hit one of the Roman guards directly in the neck.

"Woads!" Stated Tristan as he and the others urged their horses down the hill and toward the forming battle. Arthur drew Excalibur just as a large group of woads charged from the forest. The fight ensued for what seemed seconds as once again, the knights proved their skills with blades and bows, from Lancelot with his ambidexterity to Bors and his wrist blades. What the knights hadn't noticed though were the three women who charged out of the second carriage and started fighting. They were all of a slim build with the eldest looking about 32, she had long black slightly curled hair, piercing blue eyes and tattoos on either cheek, some parts of her hair were slightly braided to keep the hair from entering her eyes, she stood at about 5'7" She was firing arrows left, right and centre but when the woads ventured too close she used a slightly curved sword with inscriptions running along the blade. The next was around 27 summers old with long brown hair that was naturally straight, at the moment it looked hastily tied up in a messy ponytail, she had deep brown eyes and a pale complexion she stood at 5'4" she was using a short sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. The last was around 25 years old with waist length blonde which was flowing wild at the moment, she also had deep brown eyes and stood at around 5'5", she was using two swords at once with as much ease as using one. Finally the battle was over, the knights having lost nobody on the bloodied field. "What a bloody mess" said Bors pointing into the carriage where the bishop sat with an arrow protruding out of his chest. Arthur sighed and then stated that it wasn't the bishop. A roman guard came up to him and Arthur recognised him as Bishop Germanius, the man who was here to release his knights, his comrades, his best friends, into a world of freedom denied to them for the last 15 years of their lives.

"I see your old military skills are still of some use to you." He said to the Bishop.

The Bishop grinned an evil grin and replied "Ancient tricks, for ancient dogs". Arthur turned to one of his knights and told him to scout ahead. By this time the three girls had saddled the horses and were making their way over to the Bishop, the black haired woman leading a dapple grey stallion, the brunette leading a chestnut stallion, and the blonde leading a black stallion. "You! I do not keep you alive to sit idly in the back of a carriage! You were supposed to be making sure I got here alive!" He said drawing attention of the knights to the females for the first time. "You're alive aren't you?" Said the youngest.

"You will pay dearly for not doing the job you were born to do!" He said dismounting. A few more words were exchanged. "I hope you care more about my welfare than those!" He said sauntering back over to Arthur and his knights whilst pointing a thumb over his shoulder at the girls who had mounted their horses. The eldest smirked at him. He looked at her warily as he climbed inside his carriage.

"Hundreds don't scare me nearly as much as thousands." Said the Bishops secretary Horton.

"Thousands?" Enquired Lancelot curiously before they all started to lead the carriage. The girls rode at the back for a while before Arthur motioned for them to come forward. They earned stares from the other knights, where did they know these girls from? They could not work it out. Until Dag shouted out startling all of them "Ariana!" He moved his horse so fast out of the line that Bors' horse, who was situated directly next to Dagonet's, nearly got knocked over. Ariana turned at the sound of her name and saw Dagonet, one of the men she had been waiting 15 years to see. The other she could not see, and came to the painful conclusion that he must be dead. But she was happy enough to find her brother alive and well. "Dagonet!" She cried hugging him as closely as anyone could atop a horse.

"Dagonet you sly old dog! Keeping a beauty like this a secret from us!" Said Lancelot watching this emotional reunion and concluding that they must have been lovers back in Sarmatia. "Well, as you haven't seen your.. erm.. friend in quite a while maybe she'd prefer my companionship for the remainder of her stay." Said Lancelot suggestively from atop his black stallion.

"She is my sister Lancelot" Snapped Dag.

"Even better, nothing to compare us both to then is there?" He said smiling at Ariana, she made a disgusted face. Dag was getting angry, but he'd sworn long ago that he would never strike out at any of his fellow knights. 'I'll scare him though' he thought.

"Well, Lancelot, I think our scout might have something to say about that." He said finally letting his sister go.

"Why? What do you mean?" Asked the knight getting more and more nervous at the thought of his silent friend.

"She's his wife." Stated Dagonet simply smiling at the faces of his fellow knights.

"What?!"

"I never even knew he _could_ love!"

"You cannot be speaking of Tristan!" Came the torrent of replies to the statement.

"I was beginning to wonder why he never took the tavern whores, or any women for that matter to his room. I was beginning to think he was, well, you know…" said Lancelot.

"Go on, finish that sentence Lancelot." Said an accented voice from behind Lancelot. Lancelot jumped at the voice that had crept up on him and at the cool feel of metal against his neck.

"Tristan!" Gasped Ariana as she saw the man that she'd missed all these years. He rode up to her and before she could do anything, he'd dragged her onto his horse so that she was facing him. He then proceeded to kiss her passionately, not caring that he'd just his uncaring reputation. "I missed you." He breathed heavily as he drew breath.

"I missed you too Tristan. I love you." She said hugging him so tightly as if fretting that he might suddenly disappear again. None of the knights ever expected to hear Tristan say what he did next. "I love you too, my special Ana." They'd all thought him immune to love. Soon they managed to stop gaping at the sight before them and their focus turned onto the other girls.

"Well, if Ariana will not bed me, maybe one of you will do me the pleasure?" Said Lancelot in his most seductive voice.

"He called you Lancelot, did he not?" Said the younger of the two remaining. Lancelot nodded. "Then we have heard tales of you in Rome and Sarmatia, the man whore, the womanizing pig who will bed a woman once and discard her like a piece of rancid meat the next."

"How dare you talk to me in such a way!" He said angrily whilst the other knights were laughing.

"Why because I am a woman?"

"No because you do not know me! The fact that you are a woman doesn't come into the matter, I believe women should do and say what they want."

"Well at least that's one thing you have going for you." She said rolling her eyes.

"Again, how dare you speak to me in such a way!"

"I can speak to you any way I like."

"You don't know me!" He said again.

"I don't have to know you to speak to you like this it's in the job description!"

"What job description?!"

"The little sister job description!" She half yelled half laughed. He went to shout back but then realised what she had said. He started to say something then stopped, he repeated this process a couple more times before finally saying "Sarina?" She nodded and then embraced her brother. Whilst trying to pull away she found her thumb entwined in something. She pulled it away and saw the carving she had given him all those years ago on the same band of shoddy leather.

"I'm glad to see it kept you safe all these years." She said giving it back.

"So you're the one who gave him that trinket, we always wondered. He kisses it and says something to it before every battle. He never tells us what he says though." Said the youngest of the men.

"I say, Goddess listen to my prayers and let Galahad get a good beating today for his nosiness!" He said as the others laughed.

"Oh thank Goddess, I thought it was you but I could not be sure." Everyone started as they'd forgotten the other person behind them. She rode up next to Galahad and smiled a beautiful smile.

"Freya!" He said leaping at her almost knocking her off her horse.

"Nay, I refuse to believe that that is my little cousin Freya!" Said Gawain coming up beside them.

"Gawain?" She questioned and as he nodded she threw herself at him. "I missed you two so much!" She said pulling away with a watery eyed smile.

"Well, how did you three get to work for someone like him?" Asked Bors smiling at the looks on his friend's faces.

"Well, can we please rest before we tell our tale please? We didn't really have much sleep on the way here. I mean look at Ariana, because she was the best we had to a scout he would not let her sleep." Said Freya. Everyone looked at Ariana and sure enough she was drifting into a deep slumber, with her head rested on Tristan's chest. "Do you know for the two months we spent on the road to get here, she had a total of about 34 hours sleep. She was becoming ill with fatigue. Thank the Goddess we arrived when we did. That's how we were in the carriage trying to get her to sleep." Tristan was tense all the way through hearing how his love had been treated.

"Of course you may rest Lady Freya, we have many spare rooms."

"No Lady, just Freya, thanks." She said to Arthur. "I'm no lady." She said smiling kindly.

A while later and they came into view of the wall.

"Oh my Goddess, it's even more magnificent than we heard." Said Sarina.

"Aye Hadrian's Wall is a site indeed." Said Arthur. As he and the entourage rode in through the large gates.

**_Please RnR this is my first fanfic and I need to know whether or not to carry on. Contructive criticism is also greatly appreciated._**

**_Thanks Ithilya xx_**


	2. Their tale

Chapter 2. Their Tale.

The inner gates were hastily opened for them to ride in, no sooner had Arthur, the knights and the three girls rode in than the Bishop's carriage and his men arrived. He stepped out into the courtyard and gave a look of great disdain.

"My rooms have been made up for you Bishop."

"Ah yes I must rest." He said moving to go into the fort.

"Yes, because resting in the carriage for most of the time whilst we do all the work must really exhaust you." Murmured Sarina.

"Hush your tongue wench, or I shall cut it out for you." Threatened one of his personal guards.

"You would die before your dagger reached her mouth!" Said Lancelot drawing one of his swords.

"Already found a customer have we?" Said the Bishop.

"She's my sister actually." Replied Lancelot fingering the edge of his blade. The grin that was painted on the Bishop's face disappeared rapidly. He looked at Ariana who was drifting in and out of sleep.

"And you! Wake up now!" He shouted approaching her to hit her, both Tristan and Dagonet stepped in front of Tristan's horse where she was still sat. "Oh, another brother I suppose." He said turning to walk back in.

"And a husband." Said Tristan fingering one of his daggers. The Bishop grunted and stalked off.

"Well, not the best first impressions but still." Said Arthur smirking. "Alright we have two hours until dinner is served, so I suggest we all rest. Jols, can you please take the horses and then show the girls to their rooms. I expect that Ariana is to stay with Tristan in his room?"

"Definitely, I have gone too long without my Ana lying next to me." He said lifting her off her horse as she opened her eyes.

"I don't need to be thinking that way about my sister. She will always be my little innocent Ariana." He said blinking hard to get rid of the images now occurring in his head. Whilst his fellow knights laughed at him.

"Innocent? How do you think Ana got pregnant in the first place?" Laughed Tristan, he then caught the look that crossed over Ana's face and fell silent.

"Tristan, a father?" Asked Gawain surprised. Everyone pondered and viewed their surprise. Only Dagonet noticed how silent his sister and brother-in-law had become.

"What? What's happened? What's happened to my niece?" He pleaded.

"I'll tell you everything later. For now I really must rest." She said putting her head into the nook between Tristan's neck and shoulder. As soon as everyone had left to go to their relevant rooms, Arthur let out a sigh. To him, the women's arrival couldn't be more perfect, his knights were about to be set free and now their fellow kinsmen were here. Everything was turning out perfect, or so he thought.

Tristan walked into his room and laid his Ana onto the bed. In a few hours time he would be free, and he would take his Ana back to Sarmatia to find their daughter. He only had a years worth of memories of their daughter. He and Ana had known each other all their lives, they'd fallen in love at an early age and had married when she was 15 and he was 18. She soon fell pregnant with their first child. She was born the day before Tristan's 19 birthday. They named her Mia, Tristan never thought that he could feel as much love as he felt for Ana in any other person. But as soon as the midwife handed her to him and she locked onto his little finger with her tiny hand he knew that he'd proved himself wrong. In the year before he was taken he'd watched Mia take her first steps, said her first word, which to his Ana's great annoyance was 'dada'. He'd looked after her when she was cutting her first tooth. Taken her to her uncle Dag when she'd stumbled and cut herself, to which Dag laughed at the concern in his friend's eyes when all he found was a small graze. He laughed at the memories and then remembered his wife's eyes when he'd mentioned their beautiful Mia. He longed to know what had happened to her, but feared the answers. He looked at Ana's sleeping form. 'I'll have to wait until dinner' he thought as he immersed himself into a tub of warm water.

Sarina and Freya had to share a room as there were more of the Bishop's guards than Arthur first thought.

"I can't believe that those we were seeking are still here." Said Freya jumping onto her bed.

"I know it's wonderful.' Said Sarina yawning, 'I'm so tired" she said as she too slouched onto her bed. Within moments both were sound asleep. An hour or so later and there was a knock at their door. "Come in." Freya groggily called. In walked a fiery haired woman.

"Hello, my names Vanora. You've met my lover Bors, he hasn't stopped talking about you lot since he arrived back at the fort!" She said smiling. "Right, you two look as if you could do with a lovely warm bath." She said as she motioned for two other women to come in carrying bales of warm water.

"Thank you Vanora. Bors told us you have eleven children? What possessed you?" Laughed Freya as Sarina started to wake up.

"Well, drink possessed Bors and Bors posses' me!" She laughed

"Well, nobody can argue with that." Freya laughed back.

"You must be Galahad's sister. Yes you're very much like the pup."

"The pup?" Questioned Freya.

"Yep, he's the youngest and the easiest to anger and agitate therefore he's normally the centre of the others jokes." She said smiling.

"Oh, fair enough." Freya laughed thinking of her brother.

"And you must be Lancelot's sister!" Said Vanora looking at the grumpy Sarina. "Yes, he's very hard to wake up to get ready for a mission. He acts like he doesn't care very much for most of the people here. But he does, he just hides it. He loves every one of those knights like brothers, I've seen him grieve the loss of his friends. He's a big softie really." She said smiling. Soon both women were awake and were bathing.

"That was the best sleep I've had in a long, long time." Said Ariana waking up. She opened her eyes to see Tristan staring back at her. "Hey you".

"Hi." He said looking back at her and smiling. "I love you so much." He said, brushing her cheek with the back of his hand.

"And I you." She said as she placed a kiss on his forehead, she then stood up and started to get into the tub. She relished in the feeling of the hot water, cleansing her skin of the grime that had built up over so much time. Soon after, she reluctantly stood and dressed again, with a little help from Tristan…..

**A little while later**

"Alright before the Bishop arrives lets hear your story." Said Arthur to the girls. "Why don't you start us off Sarina. Everyone looked to the girl sat next to Lancelot.

"Well, my father taught me to fight fro a young age.' She said as Lancelot nodded. 'And then when I was 14 the Romans came looking for more young boys to be brought to work for Rome. There'd been a terrible fever that ran through our village that year. Most of the young and old had perished, father being one of them." She said quietly, Lancelot bowed his head in grief. "Since I was the only one there who could wield a sword, they took me instead. Mother was grief stricken, she told me she hoped that I'd see you and be stationed were you were. I was in Rome for a number of years, doing work that the Roman's would not do for fear of their lives. Then Germanius bought me. And here I am." She said.

"Were you treated alright? I mean they did not do anything... indecent to any of you?" Questioned Lancelot looking at his sister and then to the other two women. The other knights tensed contemplating the question asked.

"No I was not touched." Said Sarina, Lancelot sighed relieved but at the same time concerned for the other two, Freya in particular, yet he didn't know why. "I'll let my friends tell their own stories." She said.

"Freya, do you want to go next?" Asked Arthur turning to the other girl.

"Why not." She said sitting up straighter. "Well, firstly, my story begins the same as Sarina's, the same fever must have spread across the Rhoxalani's as well. I along with a few others were taken, me and Lola were the only girls – "

"Lola?" Bors cut in.

"My sister." Said Gawain leaning closer to his cousin eager to find out news of his family.

"I'm sorry Gawain, but she is the only living member of that side of your family. Our mother is still alive, or at least she was when I left." She said turning to speak to Galahad as Gawain rubbed his eyes roughly with the back of his hand. "Anyway, we met up with the girls taken from the other tribes a few weeks later. That's where I met Sarina. When we got to Rome Lola was sent to a Roman post in Germania. I've not seen her since, though on my travels I have heard tales of the fearless Rhoxalani woman who will take on anyone or anything that comes her way." She said with a hint of a smile. Gawain too smiled, yes that sounded like the Lola he knew. "A few weeks later and Ariana was unceremoniously introduced into our lives." She said with a slight grin to her friend who smiled back. "I, like Ariana and Sarina, was 'purchased' by the Bishop. And now, here I am. And no, I was never indecently treated"

"Ana." Prompted Tristan. He had waited 15 years for news of her and his little girl.

"Well, when they came to the Iazyges they'd already taken numerous girls instead of boys so they probably thought it was okay to take more. I refused point blank to go without Mia, who was 5 by this time." She said remembering how small and mischievous she'd been. "So they took both of us on the condition that I'd be able to stop her from crying. When we got to Rome the unceremonious meeting that Freya speaks of was me being shoved into this damn bunkhouse with a bag of equipment under one arm, and Mia under the other, who by now was crying her eyes out because she wanted to see her nana, only to turn around and see these two sit up in their beds and give us the weirdest looks that I have ever seen. It was somewhere between immense hate at being woken up at such an early hour and curiosity at what the loud noise was." She said smiling at the fond memory, her friends too were smiling, as were Tristan and the other knights. "We stayed that way for 9 years, each of these girls helped me raise Mia, each became her aunty, she was a fantastic fighter, and was so, so clever, she picked up her father's skill with a bow and her uncle's ability with healing." She said as both men swelled with pride. "She was fourteen summers when we were bought by the bishop. When he first saw her he told us he knew just what to do with her. He took her from my arms, it took almost 20 roman guards to restrain us." The girls' faces were grave and Tristan and Dagonet were much more tense now, fearing what could be said next. "He took her to the market. That's the last I saw of her. The Bishop told me not to worry, that he'd sold her to an honourable roman." She said in disgust her eyes welling up. "She'll be 16 in three days time." She said letting silent tears fall down her cheeks. Tristan brought her head onto his chest and whispered sweet nothings into her ear. "And like my friends I have not been treated indecently. And I hope beyond everything else in this world that I can say the same for my Mia." She whispered.

"Thank you ladies. I know it must have been hard for you to retell your tale." Said Arthur sickened by what he'd heard. He could not believe that this was all done by the same man that his father had spoke so highly of. Suddenly Jols entered, along with the Bishops secretary Horton. "Presenting his royal eminence Bishop Germanius." He said with a sneer to the round table. The knights could hardly hold their anger as he smiled at each of them. After much conversing the bishop made it obvious that he wanted to speak to Arthur alone before handing out their release papers. With a look of pure loathing the knights and the three women walked out of the meeting room and into the welcoming embrace of the tavern.


	3. One Final Mission

Chapter 3 – One final mission

The knights made upon entering went their separate ways, Lancelot started gambling, Galahad and Gawain proceeded to get very drunk whilst having a knife throwing contest – not the wisest thing to do when you are very inebriated, Dagonet and Bors went to the bar to get drinks and Tristan stood behind Galahad and Gawain watching them intently. Freya was watching, Lancelot something about him entranced her. Sarina was laughing at Gawain and Galahad. She could tell that Gawain was trying to impress her by throwing the knife up using his boot, catching it and then hurling it at the target. She laughed especially when Tristan effortlessly threw his knife into the hilt of one of Galahad's knives.

"Tristan!" Exclaimed Galahad.

"How do you do that?" Asked Gawain slightly slurring.

"He aims for the middle." Said Ariana walking up to her husband.

"Couldn't have said it better myself." He said encircling her waist with one arm and eating an apple with the other. After taking a particularly large bite, and just managing to swallow it, he whispered into her ear so that nobody else could hear "We will find Mia."

"I hope so. I truly hope so." Just then Vanora began singing, it was a beautiful song about their home.

_Land of Bear _

_And Land of Eagle_

_Land that gave us birth and blessing_

_Land that calls us ever homeward_

_We will go home across the mountain_

_We will go home_

_We will go home_

_We will go home across the mountain_

_Hear our singing _

_Hear our longing_

_We will go home across the mountain._

Everyone's eyes were swimming with tears by the end.

"Arthur!" called Jols as the commander was about to leave. Arthur walked over to the knights and revealed the news that they would have to go on one more trip for Rome. The knights were devastated, but they knew that they'd never be released if they did not go. Sarina was furious, she'd made it plain for all to see, "That bastard has no right to do this to you! He shouldn't do this to you when you've risked your lives every day for the last 15 years!"

"Sarina calm down please" pleaded Lancelot.

"No I do not think she should, I mean come on! She's right in what she's saying!" Cried Freya.

"Yes, we know that, but please you must be quiet. You'll wake the whole fort up!" Hissed Galahad drunkenly. Soon enough everyone was a bit calmer and tried to enjoy their last night before what would undoubtedly be, for some of them, their last ride together.

Sarina started talking with Gawain.

"Well it makes sense that you'd get along so great with me and my cousin 'cos we come from neighbouring tribes, don't we?" He slurred drunkenly.

"I suppose." She laughed a little less intoxicated. Lancelot glared at them and started walking over.

"What are you doing?" He said sitting next to them.

"Talking about how we get along so well." Said Gawain whilst Sarina took another sip of her ale.

Lancelot gave a fake chuckle and then leant forward so that only Gawain could hear, "Lay one finger on her and I'll make sure that you'll never be with a woman again. Am I understood?" He said leaning back.

"We'll talk about it later." Said Gawain who'd paled considerably at the not – so - idle threat.

"What are you two scheming?" Asked Sarina smiling, Gawain caught himself being drawn back into that world he'd made since he first met her. The one where she was the only other person there. Where he went to sleep each night and she was there, where he woke up each morning and she was there lying next to him. 'No!' He thought to himself 'not until I've had a proper talk with Lancelot.' After a while of sitting there Lancelot got up, he never broke eye contact with Gawain so when he started walking away Gawain got up and followed. They found themselves in the stables.

"So? What?" Asked Gawain raising his arms in frustration.

"What? What do you mean 'what?' She's my little sister and I'd appreciate you not flirting with her." Lancelot shouted.

"Flirting?! Lancelot I like your sister okay, I mean really like your sister. I've only known her for a couple of hours, but I feel I've known her for years." He said sitting on a bale of hay and putting his head in his hands.

"This had better not be one of your flimsy loves Gawain." He said still standing.

"It's not Lancelot. And what about you and Freya hmm? I saw you. You couldn't take your eyes off of her throughout dinner and the time we spent in the tavern. I'll say the same to you now Lancelot. This had better not be one of your in and out of bed quicker than you could say crossbow things." Said Gawain looking at his fellow knight.

"No, it's not Gawain. You know how you just described what you feel for my sister. Well that's how I feel about your cousin. It's so strange, we've hardly said anything to each other and yet I feel this bond between us. I don't know, maybe it's stupid."

"It's not so stupid, I mean I'm proud of you. You haven't once looked at a whore tonight. And if you did ever break her heart I and Galahad would have to kick your arse." Gawain laughed.

"Well, same here. But what do we do now?"

"We let things unfold naturally. If things happen between us and them, then we let it happen, but we never hurt them." Said Gawain seriously.

"Okay. Then let's get back out there and enjoy the rest of our night, you never know it could be our last." Lancelot said getting up and walking back to the tavern, closely followed by Gawain.

The rest of the night went great for them both. They started talking to the two women that they were fast falling in love with. Although they didn't take them to their rooms that night, neither of them had ever felt so much pleasure in their lives.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the fort Tristan and his Ana were sitting in their room talking.

"So tell me everything about her. I only remember her as the little girl with brown eyes and brown hair." He said as he brushed some hair from her eyes.

"Well, she still has the brown hair and brown eyes, she wears it similarly to you. She has five braids, or at least she did. When she smiles she lights up the room. She has her first tattoo, for killing, although I'd hoped that she'd never have to have it. She talks with wisdom beyond her years. But is very much like you. You can only just tell what she's thinking, her face is a mask. And she's an amazing fighter. Everyone who meets her loves her." She finished looking down at her hands. "The last I saw of her she was almost the same height as me and about my build. It's the only things that she inherited from me. Everything she has is from you, from the colour of her hair to her mannerisms, she's all you." She smiled as did he, "she's the only thing that kept me going all these years." She said sadly.

He kissed her on her forehead, "as I said out there, we will find our daughter, do you trust me?" He asked placing a finger under her chin and lifting her head upwards so that he could see her face.

"Of course I do."

"Good, now go to sleep, I don't expect there's anyway I can stop you coming on the mission tomorrow?" He asked knowing the answer.

"You know there's not." She said as he got into bed next to her. She snuggled up to him putting her chin in the nook between his shoulder and neck, this was her place, no one else could own this place, she knew that she was the only woman to have had this with him. And she loved this fact. He kissed the top of her head as they both fell into a deep slumber.

**_Thanks for your review animegirl333, you boosted my confidence loads! as promised the next chapter._**

**_Ithilya xx_**


	4. Memories and Brotherly Feelings

Chapter 4 – Memories and Brotherly feelings

Tristan awoke before dawn and looked down at the woman in his arms, he was relieved that it hadn't been a dream. He started to unravel himself from her to get ready for the upcoming mission. No sooner had he removed his arm than she had woken up.

"Morning." She said sleepily.

"I'm sorry, I was going to let you sleep longer." He said sitting on the edge of the bed and running a hand through his messy hair.

"It's fine, I'd rather get up earlier than needed. Besides we have to get ready." She said stretching, Tristan looked on appreciating her toned body and berating himself for not fully taking advantage of her the night before. Ana caught him staring. "You're still that boy I once knew in Sarmatia, still staring when you should not!" She laughed. "Why Tristan I do believe you are blushing!" She laughed as he bent over her and kissed her. The kiss suddenly turned into one of lust and Tristan was suddenly on top of his Ana, she moaned as he trailed kisses down her neck, long had he wanted to do this, and let's face it, he had a few hours until they had to be ready. So they made the most of those couple of hours. They showed their love over and over again until finally they _had_ to get ready.

"I really missed you." She smiled panting slightly as he rolled off of her breathing heavily himself. "Now my knight we have half an hour until we have to be in the courtyard, and you need a bath." She smiled whilst filling the tin tub. They both got in and as she carefully dried his hair he knew he was home. "There", she said tying his last braid with a piece of cotton. "Wasn't so hard was it?" She smiled whilst cupping his face in her hands.

"No, not so bad" he said turning his face into her palm and kissing it.

"Come we must go." She said solemnly. He stood up and put both his and Ana's saddlebags onto his left shoulder and with his right hand he held a firm grasp on her left hand, slightly touching the ring he'd given her all those years ago. Yes, he remembered that day so well.

_He was so nervous standing at the Goddesses' alter. He had his ancestral armour on. His brother was stood beside him, his only living relative, it was three days after this that his brother Perryn would be killed by a group of bandits. In front of him stood the priestess ready to bind himself and his love together forever. He saw her then, being walked down the aisle by _her _only living relative, her brother Dagonet, he, just like Tristan and Perryn and every other male here was wearing his armour. She on the other hand was wearing a long white cotton dress, with long flared out sleeves, she had a chain made of linked metal rings draped around her waist and held a bouquet of wild flowers Her hair was tied in a loose knot with some stubborn tresses falling free. She looked so beautiful that his breath caught. "Brother!" Urged Perryn as Tristan was asked whether he would care for her until and after he had died. "I will", he answered truthfully. "Will you provide for her and any future children that she may bear for you?" "I will", She then asked the same questions to Ariana. After the words were exchanged and the promises were made the priestess took a piece of white silk and where they were holding hands she tied them with it. "By binding you with this silk I have bound your souls. You are now one with each other." Everyone cheered and they went to celebrate. That night in their new hut they presented their wedding presents to each other. Ariana presented Tristan with a finely crafted bow. It had their tattoo markings on either end of, his were on the top, hers on the bottom, he was speechless, it was the best bow he'd ever seen. He in turn presented her with a sword very much like his. It was long and slender thickening a little at the end, the hilt was inlayed with gold and there were markings on the blade. They had been trained in reading the old language so it was easy for Ariana to read, 'I will always protect you my Ana.' She smiled and kissed him. That night they celebrated with renewed love. _

He woke from his memories to find that he was already in the stables, he set his saddlebags onto his horse and Ariana's onto hers, he then sat down next to his wife and began playing with his blade. Meanwhile Galahad was having flashbacks of his own.

_He didn't like her when she'd first come along. Why would his parents want another baby when they had him? He'd only just turned one when she was born. He remembered trying to get rid of her a couple of times, one of which was when he was two and she was one. He'd held onto her hand and dragged her outside where he'd told her to play with their fathers hunting knife, looking back on it now it was lucky their father had come back when he did, although at the time a slap on the back of the head didn't seem fair. Another time was when he'd taken her for a 'swim' when he was three and she was two. He'd taken her down to the nearby river and pushed her in. Again looking back on it now it was lucky that Gawain was already swimming in there. Gawain was five and had a little sister of his own. He hadn't liked her at all to start with but he loved her now. So he pulled his little cousin out of the water and told her to go home. He then took Galahad to one side and even at that early age gave him 'the sibling talk' about how he was supposed to look after his little sister, and that she would look to him to protect her etc etc. From that day on Galahad had looked after his little sister. When the day came for him to leave it was she that he hugged for the longest, she that he would miss the most, she that he would think of when he was slain. He never thought he'd ever see her again. Gawain told Galahad that he often spoke her name in his sleep although he could never remember seeing her face._

He looked to the doorway and saw his sister walking in with Lancelot, he couldn't believe it, they were holding hands! He went to walk forward but a firm hand rested on his shoulder. He looked around to see Gawain smile slightly and shake his head. He still couldn't believe it! Gawain was willing to let his little sister, Gawain's cousin get her heart broken by none other than Lancelot! And in the process let her be violated by him. It didn't bear thinking about. It just added to his anger as he mounted his horse and started trotting around the stables, every now and then sending a glare towards Lancelot.

"_Come on Sarina, you can do it!" Shouted Lancelot in support of his little sister. She was four and he was ten. It was her first time galloping on a large horse and she was scared. She wouldn't let it known but he could tell. It was his job to know as a big brother. He could see she had an iron grip on the horse's reigns, and every member of their tribe was out to watch her. She was deathly pale, but with the encouraging words from her big brother she did it. He was so proud of her. When she was eight she had become very beautiful much like their mother, blonde hair and deep brown eyes, some of the boys had began to notice this and would often ask her for a kiss only to be punched in the face by Lancelot. Later she would scold Lancelot and tell him she could take care of herself. He knew this but still felt an obligation to protect her. He'd had an argument with her the day he was taken, she was only ten but she had big ideas of the world around her. He'd acted like a big child and ran off. But then he saw the Romans riding his way. He swiftly went back to his home and his father helped him prepare. But his sister, although younger than him in years was older than him in wisdom. She did not even mention the childish argument they had had, instead she went into their hut and brought out the necklace that he still wore today. He wanted so much to stay and hug his little sister, but he knew he couldn't. Therefore he rode off with the other men that would soon be as close to him as brothers..._

Lancelot awoke with a start as there was a knock at the door. He opened it to find Freya there dressed in black breeches, a white tunic and armour on, she looked him up and down, "you're not ready? Lancelot hurry up!" She scolded walking in and shoving clothes in his hands.

"Alright calm down woman!" He said laughing. And changing at the same time, as he took his clothes off she stared at his well toned torso. He smirked noticing her staring, "see something you like?" He grinned. She smirked herself and threw his scabbard at him. "I'll wait outside" she smiled.

After a few moments he came out in his whole regalia. "At least you look presentable now." She grinned. They started strolling down to the stables together when Freya suddenly felt something. She looked down to find that Lancelot had clasped her smaller hand in his larger one. "Be careful or all the wenches in this fort may suddenly think you're off limits." She said as a joke.

"I am." He replied looking at her, his dark eyes met hers and they locked.

"Don't say that Lancelot, not to so you can have me in your bed one night and then someone else the next." She said looking down sadly and trying to unclasp their hands.

"I'm not just saying that. I'm being serious, you make me feel something that I've never felt before." He said not letting her hand go. Freya looked into his eyes and saw only truth. He spoke again, "So, I want to really get to know you. I want people to know that I'm with you. But that'll only work if you agree to be with me." He finished and looked back up at her. He saw her smiling and his heart fluttered.

"Don't break my heart Lancelot." She said as they walked in to the stable. She glided past Galahad and saw him give Lancelot a glare. She fought to keep a smile off of her face as she sat down on one of the benches. Lancelot sat beside her. He too had seen the look on Galahad's face but was not worried. If it came to it and Galahad wanted to give him the 'brother to boyfriend' talk about look after her, if you ever hurt her I'll kill you, blah blah blah, then he would sit with him and listen whilst trying not to laugh at the thought of Galahad 'killing' him, he had yet to best him in a sparring match! But if Galahad went straight in to a shouting match with him, which he expected he would, as was the young, hot - headed knight's nature, then he would calmly ask him to walk away from the others while they had a chat, or would just run him through, but he imagined that this would be the quickest way to end his relationship with Freya, plus the knights and Arthur might have something to say about it. He looked over to where his sister sat next to Gawain, she was smiling and laughing at him whilst he told her a story about Lancelot and Percival, a knight that was now unfortunately lying in their cemetery on Badon Hill. Lancelot had been so sure of himself but Percival had knocked him on his knees within the first few seconds, and had bested him throughout that particular sparring match. He saw the way his sister was looking at Gawain, and wished for her to be as happy as he was at this moment in time. Then he thought about his talk last night with Gawain, and how he would feel if he'd just pursued that relationship without talking to him. Yes he'd talked to Freya's cousin about courting her, but it was a totally different thing than talking to a brother. No, he couldn't wait for Galahad to come to him, he would go to Galahad, but maybe in a few hours time when they reached their first camp. As the knights prepared, the bishop entered with his snivelling secretary. The Bishop glared at the three girls for a few moments before opening his mouth. "What do you think _you_ are doing?" He asked them as they lined up together side by side.

"We're accompanying our friends and family." Said Ariana as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well I forbid you to." He said grabbing Ariana's arm to pull her forward only to have all of the knights unsheathe their weapons, Dagonet stood millimetres from the Bishop's back and towering over him by at least 5 inches, whereas Tristan had unceremoniously removed the Bishop's hand from his wife's wrist.

"Don't do that again, to any of my knights" said Arthur stepping forward. Dagonet seeing Arthur give him a reassuring nod, backed off.

"They are not knights, they cannot be knights, they are merely women, the only thing they can do is bare children, cook and clean!" He spat at the floor infront of the women.

"And yet you bought us to look after you, to protect you, a man." Laughed Sarina. Lancelot swelled with pride at his sisters quick jibes, rather like his own quick sense of humour.

"When you get back and we travel to Rome, you will be severely punished. All of you!" He shouted. "By the way my secretary Horton will be joining you." He shouted over his shoulder as he stormed out.

"Oh great! The snivelling toad himself" said an exasperated Freya, mounting her horse easily. Horton just looked at her with a mix of fear and hate in his eyes as he to tried to mount his horse. After a while everyone was hysterical whilst watching the holy man try and fail continuously. Arthur had to get down and fetch the mounting block for him to use, Bors especially found this quite funny.

"That's what my number 8 has to use to get on her horse and she's only five and already starting to mount without it!" He laughed again almost falling off of his horse. The others also carried on laughing.

"Alright, that's enough." Said Arthur failing to hide a smile. "Come on we must go." The knights rode for hours into the forest, they were attacked at one point by the woads, but all came out miraculously unharmed.

"Why did they not kill us?" Asked Galahad.

"Because Merlin does not want us dead" Stated Arthur encouraging his horse forward. They made their way into a small clearing. "We shall camp here for tonight." Everyone started unpacking their equipment. Galahad noticed that his sister put her bed roll a little too close to Lancelot for his liking. He also noticed how close Gawain and Sarina's bed rolls were. Was he the only one without a partner? Then he noticed Dagonet and Arthur still had no one special and he heaved a sigh of relief. Besides he was the youngest, he had plenty of years left in him. He was in no rush to find his soul mate. Although fate disagreed.

**_Sorry if this is a bit shorter than normal! _**

**_You like? Then please press the 'go' button at the bottom!_**

**_animegirl333 thank you again for your lovely review hope you enjoy this chapter! xx_**

**_homeric thank you aswell, it means a lot to hear something like that from one of my favourite authors on this site. And I'll keep what you said in mind. xx_**

**_DancinThroughLife Thank you very much! I promise I'll keep going! I hope you like this chapter. xx_**


	5. Ariana remembers

**Chapter 5**

**I still don't own any of the knights :( ****! I only own the four girls.**

Ariana was the first to wake after a long night of memories invading her dreams. She sat bolt upright with a light layer of sweat glistening on her skin. So many memories, most good, thoughts of her daughter's laughter filled her mind and she felt a smile start to tug on her lips. It quickly vanished however when she remembered the day they took her…….

**2 YEARS PREVIOUSLY**

The usual guard hammered on the door and with a gravely voice hollered through the door at them to get up. Ariana looked at her friends only to laugh when they pulled their sheets higher and buried their heads in their pillows. Ariana sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She noticed, as usual, her daughter was already up, washed and dressed, and was currently taking a slice out of her endless stash of apples.

"Do you want to do it now or after?" Asked Mia not looking up from her breakfast.

"Best do it now, any longer and they'll have gone fast asleep again" Ariana sighed whilst getting up and going to the end of Sarina's bed, whilst Mia went to the end of Freya's bed. "On the count of three, one… two… three!" As she said the last number both women pulled the sheets off of the bed and mercilessly began to tickle the women's feet.

"ARIANA!!"

"MIA!!"

Were both screamed simultaneously as both Freya and Sarina jumped up.

"If you weren't so lazy in the mornings we wouldn't have to do it." Said Ariana as she walked over to the bowl and jug of water. She disposed of the water previously used by Mia, and poured more into the bowl.

"Yep, if we didn't do it you'd be whipped, remember before we started waking you up?" Reminded Mia finishing her apple.

"Yes, yes, but couldn't you think of a nicer way?" Asked Freya pulling on her breaches.

"Nope" smiled Mia.

Just as they'd finished dressing the door to their room burst open. In marched five guards all dressed in the same ceremonial armour.

"We were on our way out." Said Sarina glancing nervously between the guards.

"Today is different. You'll not be training today." Stated the guard at the front.

"Why not?" asked Mia forlornly as she'd come to love her training, it was a way to release her anger without actually harming anybody.

"There is a slave auction today, down at the town centre, my Lord has asked us to escort you there."

"But we want to stay here, together!" Pleaded Freya backing further into the room.

"What you want is of no concern to me. Whether you like it or not, you are not free anymore, you haven't been since the day you were brought here." Ariana also backed up, clutching her daughter's hand to bring her behind her.

"We'll be separated." Ariana whispered as realisation dawned on her.

"Not my problem." Said the guard roughly grabbing the arms of the four women and dragging them out into the harsh sunlight. As they got closer and closer to the centre of town they began to hear the crowd that had accumulated around the raised platform. Men and women in brightly coloured clothes wearing rings and necklaces of gold stood eyeing the current people being auctioned as a predator would watch it's prey. One in particular stood out to Ariana, he was bald, average height and wore the robes of a bishop, he had an evil auror about him that many seemed to notice as the other merchants stood nowhere near him. Soon it was their turn to be sold like pieces of meat, as they walked forward Ariana held firmly to her daughter's hand.

Ten minutes later Ariana was hysterically crying and pleading to the man that bought her. It was the same man she had seen in the crowd, he wore the same evil sneer now as he watched her begging him to buy her daughter back. And he calls him self a man of the cloth. She thought as he continued to blatantly refuse her pleas. He had bought all four of the women yes, but upon walking out of the town centre he had met with another man and sold her on, after all she had no experience in battle, so how was she going to protect him?

The three women continued to plead with him, beg him try and bargain with him, but he would have none of it. Sarina and Freya wept that night and the next, but Ariana wouldn't cry, no she would not distract herself with meaningless tears. She had to concentrate on her revenge. When she was freed she would hunt the man who took her daughter down. She didn't know his name, but the face she would remember for ever, the crooked nose, the arrogant sneer the fat face and the black mop of hair. Yes, she would have her revenge on him, and if her husband was still alive after his fifteen years of service, God help the man who'd taken his daughter.

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Okay, I know this is a very short chapter, but I had to put it in to the story somehow. And I know I haven't updated in ages but with coursework and exams my life has been pretty hectic. I hope I'll be able to update sooner than last time, so please just bare with me, I promise the story will get better!

Please R+R, as always constructive criticism welcome. Thanks.

Ithilya xxx


	6. Author's Note

HI!

First off, can I just say thank you to everybody that's reviewed, I know I am a terrible terrible person for not updating sooner

I promise that by Friday another chapter will be uploaded. Hope you guys will still want to read it after all this time

Ithilya xx


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